Lord Drayson: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	With effect from April 2007 for a period of two years, RAF Lyneham will be used as the primary location for military repatriation ceremonies instead of RAF Brize Norton.
	In the event of fatalities resulting from service personnel killed in operational theatres, a repatriation ceremony is held to mark the return to the United Kingdom to which family members of the deceased normally attend. With effect from April 2007, work is commencing at RAF Brize Norton to extend the aircraft servicing platform—the areas of hard-standing around the airfield that are used for aircraft parking. Given the disruptive nature of the work, it will be very difficult to hold a dignified ceremony at the station. Moreover, it would also be very costly to the public purse to temporarily suspend work each-time a repatriation ceremony is due to take place. This work is expected to take up to two years, until April 2009.
	The transfer of repatriations from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Lyneham means that the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner will have initial jurisdiction instead of the Oxfordshire coroner throughout the period of these works. We are confident that the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner has the necessary resources to take on this workload and he already has considerable expertise in handling military inquests in consequence of the presence of RAF Lyneham in his jurisdiction as well as Wiltshire being regularly used for military exercises. In addition, the Wiltshire and Swindon coroner is also expected to transfer jurisdiction wherever possible to other coroners—normally to the jurisdiction of the next of kin—following the recent practice of the Oxfordshire coroner.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: I have today laid before Parliament the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (Lasting Powers of Attorney, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Public Guardian Regulations) 2007.
	The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides a statutory framework for people who lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions. It sets out who can take decisions, in which situations, and how they should go about this. It also enables people to make provision for a time in the future when they may lack capacity to make some decisions including through the introduction of a new power of attorney called a lasting power of attorney (LPA). LPAs will replace enduring powers of attorney (EPA) as the main way in which someone can choose a decision maker to act on their behalf, particularly in the event of their loss of mental capacity.
	These regulations set out the prescribed forms, supporting forms and other requirements necessary for the making and registration of LPAs and the registration of existing EPAs. They also make provision about the functions of the Public Guardian and the discharge of those functions.
	A consultation process was held from 20 January to 14 April 2006 to seek views on the draft LPA forms, prescribed information and accompanying non-statutory guidance, as well as on the processes for certifying and registering LPAs. These regulations, and the forms contained within them, have been developed in light of the comments received during consultation.